Russia's Curse
by 15animefreak15
Summary: State OC! No pairings! When Russia visits America to hear President Wilson's Fourteen Points speech, he meets Ophelia "Ohio" Jones and learns something surprising. America is conveniently absent for the revelation. Kolkolkolkol.


**Okay, so yeah, I really shouldn't be writing random oneshots like this, because I'm busy enough as it is and have contest deadlines on DA to worry about. But I love Ohio, and I love Russia, and this idea smacked me in the head last night. So yeah, you're getting it, enjoy it.**

**Basically just a random oneshot. It was originally just supposed to be about Russia, a village in Ohio, and the _country _Russia cursing her because that made _him _practically one with _her_. And Russia didn't like that. But in the beginning, I would up rambling a little about her history and various names. I think it's interesting, so whatever.**

**Also, I actually did research a lot of this stuff, which took up even _more _time _I don't have_. So I hope you appreciate the accuracies. Srsly. :P But if for some reason something is _innacurate_, which is _entirely possible_ since I used the Internet, let me know in a review and I'll gladly change it. Same goes for typos. I'd really appreciate it, thanks. Links to where I got some of the research will be at the end, as well as any translations that may be needed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hetalia series or any part of it. I don't even own a copy of _Heart of Darkness_, let alone the book's plot itself. Hell, it's just mentioned for filler. I'm a citizen of Ohio, and Ophelia is my OC for the state.**

* * *

The large, mansion-like house creaked and groaned as the chilly winds of January blasted hard against its exterior, practically rocking the foundations. The fireplaces were roaring in an effort to keep the interior warm and toasty, the maids bustling about to make certain there was enough coal stocked up. The sounds reverberated throughout the old building, uninhibited by the usual cheerful chatter and laughter the states brought to America's home. Most of them stayed in their home states during the winter, when D.C. was cold and blustery. The warm states stayed home, disliking the frosty weather, while the states going through similar temperatures felt it was too cold to travel.

However, the past few days had been very important for one Ophelia "Ohio" Jones, previously known as Otylia. She had been given the name by Alfred when she became a state, though she had been given many other names throughout her history. Like countries, parts of nations (like states) went through many changes as time passed, sometimes leading to name changes as well. The earliest name she could remember being called was given to her by the Miami natives who roamed her forests and valleys, _Wabaikwe_, or Algonquin for "white woman." She supposed it must have been a bit strange to see someone of her color amongst them, but they treated her well since she was just a child back then.

Then, the French came to her land in the 18th century, along with the ever-flamboyant Francis Bonnefoy. He had set up trading posts and got along well with the natives, but soon discovered her and quickly claimed her as his own. Upon hearing her name, he appeared horrified and, with a shake of his head, decided such a barbaric name was not suited for such a lovely child. Thus, Wabaikwe became Ouida, or French for "warrior woman." Apparently, France had been impressed with her wild nature and strong will, something that came naturally with the thick woodlands.

However, this name was short-lived, for the conflict between France and England, or Arthur Kirkland, soon reached her forests. Apparently, England had land nearby, and claimed he wanted her as well, though France had been with her long before. The French-Indian War ensued, and with England's victory, she found herself receiving a new, "untainted," English name. Oakley, "field of oak trees," just something new she was to be called. France, though he had disliked it, had allowed her to remain as she always had been, wild and free.

However, England was going to have none of that, and forced colonization and "proper female etiquette" onto her. This lasted an even shorter amount of time, as the American Revolution came and went and she found herself next in the care of America, Alfred F. Jones. She had seen him a few times before while under her various owners, but young, childish Oakley was amazed by how tall and strong he looked now. Though she was not a state, America offered her the chance to change her name to something more American, and she obliged mainly out of habit. As part of the Northwest Territory, Oakley changed her name to Olencia, and eagerly worked towards statehood.

In 1803, she achieved this goal, given the official state name of Ohio by America. Again, he gave her the chance to change her name, and she accepted with the perfect one in mind. By this point Germanic immigrants had been steadily replacing the Native American population, and so she took on the name Otylia, or German for "lucky heroine." She was happy with this name for over a century, probably the longest length of time she had held the same one without change. Then, World War I occurred, and she suddenly found herself ridiculed by her fellow states for her supposed "loyalty to the Germans."

When America officially joined the Allies in 1917, she decided one last change was in order, and easily convinced her father to make her name Ophelia. She felt it was more Americanized, though it was technically Greek for "helper." That was nearly a year ago, and the others were still having problems remembering the new name, sometimes calling her Otylia by mistake. She did not mind, it always happened whenever she had changed her name. Wabaikwe, Ouida, Oakley, Olencia, Otylia; _Ophelia _sighed, drawn out of her thoughts as America and Russia entered the sitting room.

She had come to visit her father on the latest coal shipment, wanting to offer moral support as Woodrow Wilson delivered his Fourteen Points speech to Congress. The other Allies seemed apprehensive and doubtful about it, but America was the picture of confidence as he grinned and plopped down onto the sofa before the fire. It was January 8, 1918, and the speech had just been delivered with mixed results and response. Russia, or Ivan Braginski, had arrived the day before to watch the speech with America, for it also addressed his boss, Vladimir Lenin, about the Decree of Peace. His country wanted to leave the war, but it was taking longer than he would have liked, so he had come to speak with America on the matter.

Ophelia could not help but stare for a few moments at the giant of a nation, still bundled up in his coat and scarf though the sitting room was rather warm. America, of course, refused to take off his usual attire in response, while she herself was cuddled into the cushions of an arm chair with a warm sweater and quilt. _Heart of Darkness _lay open on her lap, something America had given her that England had given him, claiming he would never read something so boring and _English_. Now that the speech was over with and she had company, Ophelia marked her page and closed the book, then leaned her head on her hand and looked at the two countries. "Hey dad. How did the speech go?" she asked, breaking the silence.

America jumped slightly and Ophelia smirked, guessing her father had not noticed her in all his excitement. However, his surprise was soon replaced with a broad grin that seemed to heat the room up all by itself. "Oh, Otylia! I didn't see ya there!" he laughed, straightening his glasses.

"_Ophelia_, dad."

"Oh, right,_ Ophelia_. Sorry. Butit went great! You should've seen ol' Wilson, talking about his awesome plan. The whole Congress was stunned! They loved it, I just know they did!"

"America, if I remember correctly, they looked more disbelieving than stunned. From what I could hear of the whispering, they-" Russia began, a calm smile on his face as he clasped his hands in his lap.

"Oh, stop being such a downer, Russia! They were just too excited about the idea to wait until after the meeting to talk, that's all! I'm tellin' ya, Ophelia, this is gonna be BIG!" America exclaimed, leaping to his feet and throwing his arms into the air. Russia seemed to be annoyed by the country's enthusiasm, but she just laughed a bit at how silly her father could be sometimes.

"So, America, how long must I wait for you to introduce me to your little friend here?" Russia asked as said nation was taking his seat, making the blond blink and then grin sheepishly.

"Oh, right, you two haven't met in person before. This is one of my states, Ohio, but we call her Ophelia. She came down here to keep me some company since there was a coal shipment coming in anyway," America explained proudly, puffing out his chest.

"It's nice to meet you in person at last, Russia," Ophelia stated respectfully, though her "Roo-she" pronunciation made America snort and Russia himself blink in confusion.

"'Roo-she?' Little Ophelia, I believe you are mistaken, my name is pronounced Russia, da?" the tall nation replied. The state blushed at her slip.

"O-oh, sorry, _Russia_," she repeated obligingly.

America, desperately trying to stifle the laughter bubbling up in his chest, stood from his seat and headed out of the room. "I'm gonna go get us some celebratory snacks! Play nice, okay?" Ophelia sweatdropped as they both heard his laughter echo back to them from the hallway, shifting slightly in her seat. Russia was still smiling, but he looked very annoyed, and she decided it would be best to return to her book.

"...what is it you have there, Little Ophelia?" he asked, voice laced with venom. She tensed, wishing he would call her by her official name instead, like he did with America. Ophelia was her personal name, and she hardly knew Russia at all; not to mention he sort of creeped her out. She focused on her book, and as such did not see him stand and walk towards her.

"U-uh, it's _Heart of Darkness_. Just a book dad got from E-England," she stammered out. Now Ophelia could hear the heavy, booted footsteps, and it became very hard to focus on the current passage as a large shadow loomed over her.

"Oh? Tell me, _Ophelia_, why is it that your 'dad' addressed you as _Otylia _before? Do you have a sister?" Russia questioned, his curious tone obviously hiding his true intentions behind a thin veil. Ophelia gulped, hands shaking as she willed America to return already.

"W-well, yeah, I do, but none of them have that name. It was my... my old name. I recently had it changed, you know, because of the war," she explained. Finally, she could not take it anymore, and closed the book before directing her blue-eyed gaze upwards to meet violet. "Okay, look, what do you want? Because this? This is creepy. Just spit it out already, Russia!" Ophelia even used her previous pronunciation, trying to emphasize just how annoyed she was.

Russia either did not notice or did not care, getting a malicious gleam in his eyes as they became heavily shadowed by his bangs. "Very well then. I shall 'spit it out,' as you Americans so lovingly put it. Become one with Russia, da? Kolkolkolkol-" Ophelia tensed as a dark aura started to surround the nation, thinking quickly for some sort of response as she tightly gripped the book in her hands.

"Uh, um, er... oh! I can't." She had thought of an alibi at the very last second, and smug relief washed over her. Russia, however, seemed surprised at the rather blunt answer, and blinked. The aura had lessened slightly, but he still looked absolutely terrifying.

"Oh? Why not? Is it because you are already one with America?" he questioned, obviously unperturbed by the fact.

"Well, yeah, there's that. But more importantly, _I _can't become one with _YOU_, because _YOU'RE _already one with _ME_," she stated with a matter-of-fact nod. That certainly threw the Russian for a loop, as he straightened and returned to his previous state of normalcy in a confused heartbeat.

"...как?"

"What?"

"That is what I asked. 'What?'" Russia reiterated, frowning and obviously irritated that he had to repeat himself.

"Oh. Well, yeah, it's true. There's a village in my borders called Russia, but it's pronounced Roo-she. That's why I keep saying your name like that. The village's earliest settlers were Frenchmen, but they came from the Russian Empire. It was actually named after you. But anyway, so because of that, _you're _technically one with _me _already. So I can't become one with you," Ophelia explained with the shrug of a shoulder, suddenly filled with relaxed confidence. "I can even get out a map if ya want."

Russia seemed to be at a loss, and for good reason. He had never received an answer like that before, and logically, it made sense. However, this only proved to irritate him further, finding someone who could not become one with him. Russia was just reaching into his coat for his trusty lead pipe when America suddenly waltzed back into the sitting room, carrying a tray of hamburgers and looking as cheerful as ever. Growling almost inaudibly, the tall nation let his hand drop to his side.

"Hey, I'm back! And I brought _hamburgers_! Sorry I took so long. So, what did I miss?" America asked happily, setting down the tray and reclaiming his seat on the couch. Russia's innocent smile and demeanor had returned.

"Oh, not much. Ophelia and I were just talking, getting to know each other better. She is a very... _interesting_ state, America. However, I fear I cannot stay. I must return home and speak with Lenin about these Fourteen Points of yours. Do enjoy your hamburgers," Russia answered, making his way towards the door. However, he paused at the threshold, looking back at Ophelia and catching her gaze. "Oh, and Ophelia, I will not forget what we have talked about. You will soon discover the misfortune of carrying my name," he added cheerfully before walking out the door.

America, half of a burger already shoved into his mouth, looked curiously over at his now pale and shaking state. "Ophelia?" he asked around a mouthful of beef.

"...I-I think I should go home tomorrow, dad..." she muttered, getting a bad feeling.

* * *

Ophelia was right to listen to her intuition, because four days after Wilson's speech on January 12th, the worst blizzard since 1864 swept through her state. It came on suddenly, hitting them out of nowhere, and she had never experienced such bitter cold in her life. This year's winter had already been bitter for the Heartland, with deeper snow than usual. However, as soon as the blizzard arrived, temperatures in the 30s dropped down to as low as -15 degrees in a mere eight hours. The already blustery wind increased to an average of 30 to 50 mph, sometimes gusting over an astounding 60.

New snowfall from the blizzard piled up 10 to 15 inches throughout the state, but some of the wind-blown drifts measured 10 to 15 _feet_, covering houses, vehicles, and trains. It became so horrible that Ophelia had to halt trains across the countryside, the great and mighty engines unable to chug through the amount of snow on the tracks. A few of her citizens had already frozen to death from a few trains that had stalled before the order was given, and all transport of coal for heating ceased. Churches all over Ohio opened their doors to those who ran out of the necessary fuel or were too poor to afford it in the first place. Ophelia was trapped in her main home in Columbus, her capital city, only able to communicate with her father and siblings by phone.

As she sat curled up before the fireplace in her sitting room, wearing two sweaters and buried in her thickest quilt, she could feel a small twinge every time one of her citizens died from the cold. She herself was coming down with something, plagued with fatigue and a horrible head cold. America had promised to come up and check on her as soon as the blizzard ended and transportation was reestablished. Pennsylvania, ever the responsible and helpful older brother, also stated he would drop by for a visit to make certain she was well. Ophelia already knew his "visit" would turn into a week-long stay, her brother forcing bed rest and chicken noodle soup on her until she snapped and kicked him out.

Sneezing, she sniffled and grabbed another tissue, blowing her nose in an effort to clear it but only succeeding in making her head throb some more. Groaning, she glanced over at the nearby window to see if the storm had let up any, only to scream as she saw someone looking at her through the thick, glass panes. The long, scraggly face was gone in an instant, though, and she rubbed at her sore, watery eyes for a moment before squinting out at the storm. Whoever it had been, if it had actually been anyone at all, was gone. Ophelia shuddered, wrapping the quilt tighter around herself and staring into the flames before her, wondering if she was getting a fever now as well.

She could not help but remember Russia's words as he left, but surely he could not have caused such a horrible blizzard. Nations were powerful, yes, but they could not control the weather. Ophelia remembered hearing something about a "General Winter" fellow, but it was just a myth, a mere excuse Russia blamed his poor weather on. She gulped, glancing once more at the window and suppressing another shudder, closing her eyes tightly. Really, it was just the name of a village, she could not understand why it had upset him so much in the first place.

"God damn it, if I survive this blizzard, I'm going straight to Russia and giving the mayor a piece of my mind! And just to spite that bastard, I'm gonna pronounce his name wrong every time we meet," Ophelia muttered bitterly, sending tissues flying with another great sneeze.

_And so Ohio became cursed with bitterly cold winters, buried year after year under up to a foot or more of snow. Sometimes, on the harsh wind, one can just hear the words "kolkolkolkol."

* * *

_**Ahahaha. So yeah, there it is. What I just spent hours working on. Sorry if America and Russia seem a little OOC, it's only my second time really writing them both. And yes, for those who are wondering, the face belonged to General Winter. Russia's curse basically consisted of letting the old man know there was another Russia he could plague with bad winters. Haha. Poor Ohio. We really do get bad weather here, though. Including blizzards and snow storms. Srsly, look it up. D:**

**"как?", if my translator was right, is Russian for "What?" If I'm wrong, please tell me.**

**Here's the village of Russia if you're interested and yes, it is pronounced Roo-she: **ht tp :/ en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/ Russia,_Ohio

**Here's a site about the blizzard of 1918, along with some other bad storms Ohio has experienced in the past: **ht tp :/ www. ohiohistory. org/ etcetera/ exhibits/ swio/ pages/ content/ 1918_

**Here's the site I used to get Ohio's Algonquin name: **ht tp :/ www. native-languages. org/ algonquin_

**Here's the site I used for the other name meanings in the various languages: **ht tp :/ www. name-meanings. com/

**Also, if you're wondering about the Woodrow Wilson and Fourteen Points speech, I just thought it would be a good reason for Russia to visit America. And the two events are alarmingly close, aren't they? Anyway, PLEASE R&R! :3**


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